food-and-wine-pairing-a-sensory-experience-robert-harrington

sauce, vegetarian spring rolls, glazed pork roast with apples, fresh strawberries, oven-roasted tomatoes with
goat cheese on toasted baguettes, grilled salmon with zucchini and red peppers, and Gruyère and Emmenthal
cheese fondue with a light rye bread.
Both of these sparklers have received numerous medals at regional and international competitions.
The wine production at Peller is under the guidance of winemaker Lawrence Buhler. Born in Kingston,
Ontario, Lawrence’s family moved to Saudi Arabia where he spent the first 11 years of his life. Lawrence
traveled growing up and visited great wine regions of the world. During his travels, his father’s interest in
wine grew stronger. Although Saudi Arabia was an alcohol free country, Lawrence’s father used travel as a
great excuse to try different wines.
After moving back to Canada in 1990, Lawrence entered into the Chemical Engineering program at
the University of Ottawa in 1997, all the while pursing wine and winemaking as a hobby with his father
who spent countless hours training for his Sommelier designation. It was when tasting his first Pinot Noir,
that Lawrence’s suspicions were confirmed; he was passionate about, and destined to work with, wine. As
he contemplated his next move, he decided to follow the lead of his father and enroll in a Sommelier
program at night. During his days he continued to attend University taking pre-requisite courses so he
could apply to the Brock University Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI). The only
program of its kind in Canada, Lawrence knew that he needed to do everything he could to be accepted
as part of this elite group of future winemakers. Calling daily to the university’s admission office paid off
when Lawrence was told that he was accepted into the CCOVI program in 1999.
Graduating in 2002, with only one other, Lawrence knew he wanted to make wine in Canada; specifically
Ontario. He was excited to see the progress of Ontario wines and how well they were standing up
to some of the best wines in the world. He saw Ontario as a great opportunity for a young Canadian
winemaker and saw no need to seek out any other wine region.
Interning at some of Niagara’s most well known and respected wineries including Marynissen, Strewn,
Vineland Estates, and Angels Gate provided Lawrence with a broad range of expertise from viticulture
manager to assistant winemaker. He joined Peller Estates in April 2003 as an Assistant Winemaker to Rob
Summers, and in the summer of 2005, was awarded the coveted position of Peller Estates Winemaker.
Lawrence’s passion for the vineyard, winemaking and wine continues to grow each day as he produces his
own award-winning vintages.
The winery also features a dining room that overlooks the vineyards, creating a perfect location to
experience the wines paired with cuisine indicative of the region. Additional information on Peller Estates
and its wines can be found at www.peller.com.
SALTINESS
The level of salt in food has a profound impact on appropriate wine selections. Small
to moderate levels of salt do not create huge problems when matching food with wine. In
fact, savory foods with moderate levels of salt generally enhance the taste of many red wines.
But foods with a high salt content are not compatible with most wines.
As with sweetness in food, salt can occur naturally or be added. Salty sensations are
derived from three main sources: sodium chloride, sodium glutamate, and potassium chloride.
It comes in various forms such as table salt, rock salt, kosher salt, sea salt, and flavored
salts. 1 An important consideration of the use of salt in food is the temperature at which it
will be served. The amount of salt is easily detectable at cooler temperatures and less pronounced
at warmer ones.
While salt is the primary seasoning agent used to flavor foods, it is generally not
present in wine at detectable levels, with the exception of perhaps dry sherry. The next time
you get an opportunity, taste a very dry, light sherry (perhaps Tío Pepe or La Ina) and notice
the impact on the part of your tongue that is sensitive to saltiness. You should find some
salty characteristics in both Fino and Manzanilla sherry. Sometimes traces of salt are identifiable
in Chilean reds and Rhône Valley Syrah, but salt traces are not an important wine
characteristic as a whole. 2
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